SL-CN: Science of Learning in Adolescence: Integrating Developmental Studies in Animals and Humans

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

This Science of Learning Collaborative Network brings together researchers from across the University of California-Berkeley and the University of California-San Francisco, to advance scientific understanding of developmental changes that occur in the learning processes of children and adolescents. Growing evidence shows that learning processes and the underlying brain systems go through important developmental changes. These changes begin during infancy and early childhood, but they also extend much later in pubertal maturation and adolescent development. A team-science approach will be used to address these complex issues. The collaborative research network includes expertise in the developmental science of adolescence, and in the science of learning in both human and animal models. A deeper understanding of the developmental changes in specific learning processes in adolescence will inform educational methods and interventions. With greater developmental precision, it should be possible to design more effective education for specific age groups. The long-term goals are to help transform the adolescent "window of vulnerability" (when so many youth become bored and disengaged from school) into a "window of opportunity" (a natural period of curiosity, exploration, and unique learning opportunities). This collaborative research network builds upon (and helps to integrate) four distinct areas in the science of learning: a) the developmental science of adolescence; b) animal models of brain development in adolescence; c) animal models of learning, and d) computational modeling of learning in humans and animals. The network members will work together to develop new methods, tasks, and analyses that better isolate specific learning variables under transition at adolescence. By tracking pubertal measures as well as age, the work is expected to illuminate the role of puberty onset in developmental transitions in learning, independent from age. The use of mouse models will enable experiments that delineate the role of specific aspects (and timing) of puberty in relation to these specific changes in learning. The integration of human and animal models in parallel experiments will establish a bridge between the fields of developmental science, computational neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and systems neurobiology. Scientists and trainees will participate in 'cross-training' opportunities through network meetings, contributing to building a stronger interdisciplinary culture of interaction and collaboration. Undergraduate trainees from underserved backgrounds will also participate in the network. The award is from the Science of Learning-Collaborative Networks (SL-CN) Program, with funding from the SBE Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS), the SBE Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (SMA), and the CISE Division of Computer and Network Systems (CNS).